Posted on May 11, 2012 by extension.news
Agri-View
May 11, 2012
According to Arlin Brannstrom, farm management specialist with the UW-Madison Center for Dairy Profitability, the trend line for Wisconsin agricultural land values has increased on average by $120 each year since 2006. He questioned whether or not that trend is sustainable at the UW-Extension’s Farm Management Update for Ag Professionals in Kimberly last week.
“Land is only worth what is can generate as far as cash flow and expectations of future earnings,” he said. He further noted, however, “Of all the years I have worked in farm management, I don’t think there has ever been a period where there has been less clarity in terms of what the future looks like. There are lots of variables here that could change things pretty dramatically.”
Filed under: Agriculture and Natural Resources | Comments Off
Posted on May 9, 2012 by extension.news
The Country Today
May 9, 2012
Farm-level milk prices remained stable with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s announcement of the new Class III price May 2.
The Class III price for April milk production is $15.72 per hundredweight, unchanged from March but down $1.15 from this time last year.
U.S. milk producers are expected to receive $16.90 for milk produced in April. That’s 30 cents less than what they got for March milk.
Wisconsin dairy farmers are predicted to get an average of $17.60 for April, down a dime from March, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service’s Wisconsin Field Office.
All states but Idaho anticipate a price decline from March. California producers should see an average of 51 cents less in their milk checks, at about $15, while Minnesota farmers will get 20 cents less, at $17.80.
The average U.S. milk price peaked at $22.10 last August and has declined since then, in part due to mild winter weather conducive to making milk.
As a result, many dairy processing plants are running more hours to deal with the excess milk. Much of that extra milk is going into cheese, and much of that cheese is going into storage, pressuring prices.
Cheese stocks rose 1 percent in February and 2 percent in March, exceeding the 1-billion-pound mark.
The Chicago Mercantile Exchange 40-pound block cheese price closed May 1 at $1.5350 per pound, while barrels were $1.4650 per pound. The CME butter price was $1.3550 per pound.
U.S. milk output continues to soar well above year-ago levels. The USDA’s April milk production report showed March output more than 4 percent higher.
“Milk production at this level continues to be a depressing factor on milk prices,” Bob Cropp, dairy professor emeritus at UW-Madison, said in his monthly outlook report. “More milk cows and above-normal increases in milk per cow (are) to blame for this strong increase in milk production.”
Filed under: Agriculture and Natural Resources | Comments Off
Posted on May 8, 2012 by extension.news
Beloit Daily News
May 8, 2012
Gardeners eager to dig their hands into Stateline soil have already started placing seeds and plants. Area experts have advice for local soil slingers.
“Don’t get carried away too early. We have had unusually warm weather up until now. We could still get killer frosts before the end of May,” said Beloit Streetscape Coordinator Larry Simpson, former owner of Cox’s Garden Center.
Mike Maddox, horticulture educator for the UW Extension and director of education at Rotary Botanical Gardens, said that gardeners need to remain on the alert for rapid weather changes. He recommends following planting guidelines for particular flowers, vegetables and fruits.
He said that care of the soil is also important.
“For now, don’t work the soil when it’s too wet. Otherwise you will compact it, creating clods and making the ground less suitable for plant growth,” Maddox said.
When asked what vegetables are best for southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois, he said, “The best veggies are the ones that you and your family will eat.”
“Our biggest concern is finding things that will mature within our growing season of about 100 days. Finding plants, such as certain varieties of pumpkins that will develop in that time is important. Season extenders such as floating row covers can help extend the growing season if need be,” he said.
‘Tis the season to be planting, and Stateline gardeners are happy to be digging in the dirt once again.
Filed under: Agriculture and Natural Resources | Comments Off
Posted on May 6, 2012 by extension.news
LaCrosseTribune.com
May 6, 2012
Michael Mutch gripped the wood stock of his 12-gauge shotgun and raised the barrel.
The 15-year-old La Crosse County 4-H member yelled “pull,” and a bright orange disc rocketed into the cloudy sky. Mutch’s gun boomed, and the clay pigeon exploded.
The blast joined others echoing from nearby shooters. About 60 Coulee Region teens rotated through the shooting stations at Gunslick Trap Club in Holmen, part of a 4-H program designed to teach area youth skeet shooting.
“We need youth more involved,” said Jeff Summerfeld, Gunslick president. “That’s the future of our shooting sports.”
A number of shooting sports coordinated by 4-H are designed to inspire
personal growth while teaching safety, said Bob Matysik, 4-H agent for the University of Wisconsin-Extension office in La Crosse County. Trap shooting runs five weeks in the spring and fall, and is open to anyone between age 12 and 19, as long as they pass the Department of Natural Resource’s hunter’s safety classes.
“This is, as you can tell, a pretty popular event,” Matysik said between gun bursts from the shooting range.
Filed under: 4-H | Comments Off
Posted on May 5, 2012 by extension.news
sheboyganpress.com
May 5, 2012
Dr. Sara Gilbertson said that for cows, chiropractic care may help with reproductive and locomotion issues.
“Cows may develop a lameness that isn’t in the foot or seem stiff while getting up or while they are standing,” she said.
Chiropractic can be used in conjunction with traditional medicine while offering a less invasive approach.
Gilbertson said working on calves is the most rewarding. “They are growing and changing so much that you can really help them quickly.”
She said typical cases are calves born with a head tilt, an inability to stand, or structural abnormalities that have occurred in utero.
Scott Gunderson, Manitowoc County-University of Wisconsin Extension dairy agent, said animal comfort also includes the type of cow housing found at county farms.
“Does it mirror as much as we can the way she would get up and down in a pasture setting … we need to give her adequate space to lay down, put her head back to her side with her front feet forward,” Gunderson said.
For a cow to be comfortable, she needs adequate water, as well as ventilation, especially on those hot summer days when the temperature gets to 85 degrees with 90 percent humidity.
Filed under: Agriculture and Natural Resources | Comments Off
Posted on May 3, 2012 by extension.news
Agri-View
May 3, 2012
“It used to be that you could work hard, take care of the cattle and the crops, and you made money. I’m not saying you don’t still have to work hard, but you better understand the numbers today,” Gary Sipiorski told dairy producers at the Kewaunee County Ag Power Luncheon on April 12. The lunch was sponsored by the Kewaunee County Economic Development Corporation.
Sipiorski, dairy development director for Vita Plus Corporation, shared his view on how dairy producers can best position themselves to be competitive and profitable in today’s dairy markets. He also facilitated a panel discussion featuring three other industry professionals: Dr. Brian Gould, UW-Madison professor, Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics; Mark Ludtke, Stewart-Peterson Group, Inc.; and Jim Smidel, partner in Smidel Brothers Farm and agricultural lender with Baylake Bank.
…
Dr Brian Gould also emphasized the importance of making marketing a priority. “Producers need to think about risk management as another input,” he said, adding that it should not be viewed as a “profit center,” but rather as a tool to help manage the lows and take advantage of the highs.
One of the risk management tools that Gould has worked extensively with is LGM-Dairy, an insurance program that creates a floor to protect margins from being eroded by rising feed cost or drops in milk price. Noting that Wisconsin led the country in the number of contracts written during the last sign-up, the next round to purchase the insurance will be available in October. While LGM-Dairy is currently subsidized and will remain so unless there is a change to the program rules, he feels that even if the premium assistance were to go away, there would still be a strong producer demand.
Filed under: Agriculture and Natural Resources | Comments Off
Posted on May 3, 2012 by extension.news
Agri-View
May 3, 2012
When there are calves to feed, kids to pick up and dinner to get on the table, it can be difficult to carve out more time in a day to keep good financial records and even more time analyzing them. But, as Kevin Bernhardt, UW-Extension farm management specialist, explained at last week’s Wisconsin Ag Women’s Summit, good records can help farmers to be more efficient. When you know which aspects of your operation are making money and which ones are not, you can direct your efforts where they are needed most, and possibly find yourself with more time and more money at the end of the day.
“Many of us are in farming not just because it is profitable, but because we like the way of life,” Bernhardt said, “But at the end of the day, we have got to be profitable.”
To have a true picture of profitability, he stressed the importance of financial statements. There are two basic sets of statements, he said. Those which you can look back on, like a balance sheet and income statement, and those which look forward, like cash flow statements and projections. In order to understand why keeping and analyzing these records is worth your time, a producer must understand how records can be a critical tool both for day-to-day management and long-term planning.
Filed under: Agriculture and Natural Resources | Comments Off
Posted on May 2, 2012 by extension.news
Agri-View
May 2, 2012
Growers should be on the lookout for several crop pests – namely black cutworm, true armyworm and alfalfa weevil – and be preparing to apply foliar fungicide to their wheat.
According to the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, locally heavy flights of true armyworm moths have been documented, “signaling a strong potential for larval outbreaks in small grains and corn,” warns entomologist Krista Hamilton. She says moths are abundant in grassy vegetation, and heavy egg-laying is anticipated. Growers and consultants should look for larval armyworms to show up in fields in the next week or two.
Bryan Jensen with the UW’s Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program in Madison says concentrating early season scouting efforts for black cutworm can pay off. Knowing where to look can give you an early indication of the potential for damage.
“Many people have commented on the number of winter annual growing in fields this spring. These areas are attractive oviposition (i.e. egg-laying) sites for black cutworms. In general, low growing weeds are attractive; however, favorite species include the chickweeds, shepherd’s purse and yellow rocket. Larvae may hatch prior to corn emergence and feed on these weeds for a period of time. Controlling these weeds with herbicides and/or tillage can then concentrate the damage on corn. Soybean residue also creates an attractive site to lay eggs and is often overlooked when spot-checking for cutworm damage,” describes Jensen.
Shawn Conley, UW-Madison wheat specialist, says a check of his research studies found the wheat crop at Feekes 6 and 7 growth stages (first and second nodes) across the state last week.
“This is an important time to be out in the wheat and scouting to determine if the use of a foliar fungicide will be needed as we move into flag leaf emergence (Feekes 8),” he advises.
Filed under: Agriculture and Natural Resources | Comments Off
Posted on May 2, 2012 by extension.news
LaCrosseTribune.com
May 2, 2012
If Buffalo County becomes a sand mining hotspot, most of the potential new workers would have to either commute or move into the area, according to a University of Wisconsin economist.
Steven Deller, a community development economist affiliated with UW-Cooperative Extension, gave a presentation Tuesday night to a crowd of about 40. Deller outlined the latest population and economic trends of Buffalo County, speaking at the first meeting for a new county committee that during the next several months will explore possible effects of an impending frac sand boom.
Among the statistics Deller presented were income per capita and average age in Buffalo County — both on the rise since 1970. The county has also seen its 20-29 age demographic shrink, meaning potential employees of sand mines may not currently live in the county.
Deller also told members of the committee — county residents appointed by Buffalo County Extension Educator Carl Duley — that it will need to identify potential impacts the frac industry could have on the local economy, driven largely by transportation, manufacturing and utilities jobs.
Filed under: Community, Natural Resource and Economic Development | Comments Off
Posted on April 25, 2012 by extension.news
Drovers Cattle Network
April 25, 2012
The early maturity of our forages this year may dictate that they be harvested 10 days to two weeks ahead of normal in order to maintain quality. Regardless, we will be at the mercy of Mother Nature and whatever weather she offers us at the time forage maturity dictates it’s time to make hay.
University of Wisconsin Extension Forage Agronomist Dan Undersander says in his recent fact sheet that if we understand and use the biology and physics of forage drying properly, not only does the hay dry faster and have less chance of being rained on, but the total digestible nutrients (TDN) of the harvested forage are higher. Specifically, Undersander offers 3 key recommendations:
1. Put cut forage into a wide swath at cutting that covers at least 70% of the cut area.
2. For haylage: If drying conditions are good, rake multiple swaths into a windrow just before chopping (usually 5 to 7 hours later).
3. For hay: If drying conditions are good, merge/rake multiple swaths into a windrow the next morning after mowing (when forage is 40 to 60 % moisture) to avoid leaf loss.
Filed under: Agriculture and Natural Resources | Comments Off
Posted on April 20, 2012 by extension.news
Agri-View
April 19, 2012
A USDA-funded initiative with Extension involvement, AgrAbility of Wisconsin is housed at UW-Madison and helps between 400 and 500 producer/clients a year to keep farming – with physical and other health challenges. The director of AgrAbility of Wisconsin is UW-Madison ag engineer Dick Straub.
Filed under: Agriculture and Natural Resources | Comments Off
Posted on April 8, 2012 by extension.news
Fox11online
April 8, 2012
With frost and freeze warnings in the local forecasts, fruit trees like cherries and apples are in danger. So we went to an area orchard to find out how they’re preparing for the worst.
Jerry Van Elzen owns Apple Valley Orchard in De Pere. The cold had him up at 2 a.m.
“If these little buds freeze, we won’t be producing any apples,” said Van Elzen.
“These little buds” are here early thanks to the warmest March on record in Northeast Wisconsin.
“As far as the trees are concerned, its six weeks further into the season. So we’re that far ahead of schedule,” said Kevin Jarek with the University of Wisconsin Extension in Outagamie County. He says at this point, the buds are very vulnerable to frost.
“Now that we’re this far along a frost of 28 degrees could mean as much as a ten percent loss, 24 degrees, a 90 percent loss,” said Jarek.
Filed under: Agriculture and Natural Resources | Comments Off
Posted on April 4, 2012 by extension.news
JSOnline.com
April 4, 2012
A freeze warning and watch this week in central Wisconsin is worrying cranberry growers and other farmers whose crops are weeks ahead of the normal growing schedule.
The National Weather Service issued a freeze warning for Wednesday night into Thursday and a freeze watch for Thursday night with widespread temperatures in the mid-20s expected in central Wisconsin. A few locations could drop into the low 20s, which would endanger vegetation sensitive to low temperatures.
Normally night-time temperatures in the 20s are not unusual for this time of year. But this is not a normal spring.
Alfalfa, a crop used by many of Wisconsin’s dairy farmers, is fairly cold tolerant and won’t suffer much damage unless temperatures drop to 23 or 24 degrees for three hours or more, said Dan Undersander, University of Wisconsin Extension and research forage agronomist.
“I’ve been telling people this will either the best or the worst season for alfalfa,” Undersander said.
Filed under: Agriculture and Natural Resources | Comments Off
Posted on April 2, 2012 by extension.news
Dairy Herd Network
April 2, 2012
More than 90 percent of forage stand failures are due to one of three reasons: 1) low soil pH, 2) loose soil, or 3) seeding too deep. Each cause of stand failure is preventable, says Dan Undersander, University of Wisconsin extension forage agronomist.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Type “Get a good forage stand” into the “Search” box at dairyherd.com
Filed under: Agriculture and Natural Resources | Comments Off
Posted on March 30, 2012 by extension.news
Greenbaypressgazette.com
March 3, 2012
Vijai Pandian is the horticultural agent/educator for the Brown County University of Wisconsin-Extension writes, Many gardeners are interested in growing popular fruit crops like apples, pears, grapes, strawberries and raspberries in their backyard. But there are many underused small fruit crops like elderberries, currants, and gooseberries that can diversify and add interest in a home fruit orchard.
The native, edible berries have unusual taste and are used in making pies, jams, jellies, wines, juice and even in baked products.
Native Americans have traditionally used them for food, medicines and dying purposes.
The berries also possess significant nutritional values and have tremendous market potential.
Some cultivars of elderberries (“Black Lace”) have an ornamental interest in the landscape. These crops are hardy and easy to grow.
Filed under: Agriculture and Natural Resources | Comments Off
